Hydraulic line spooler



1941- s T. PEPPARD 2,264,856

HYDRAULIC L INE SPOOLER Filed Oct. 24, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l III/(l/llylllllll 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z w 7 w Z w y V Al. 1 A

MM m s \fi/ om J Dec. 2, 1941. s. T. PEPPARD HYDRAULIC L INE S POOLERFiled Oct. 24, 1959 Patented Dec. 2, 1941 HYDRAULIC LINE SPOOLER SamuelCalif.

T. Peppard, Fullerton, Calif., assignor of one-half to Leslie ClaudeHowe,

Orange,

Application October 24, 1939, Serial No. 300,962

12 Claims.

My invention relates to a hydraulic line spooler and may be consideredas a further development and improvement over the patent to Spracher No.2,016,755 and is a further development of my Hydraulic line spooler,Ser. No. 227,736, filed August 31, 1938, matured to Patent No.2,192,201, issued March 5, 1940.

An object and feature of my present invention and certain of theproblems solved thereby is in the construction of a much more compactline spooler than those above indicated, as it is disadvantageous tohave moving structural elements extending beyond the necessary length ofthe cylinder or connected cylinders in which a hydraulic piston orpistons operate. Hence by the construction of this application, all ofthe moving parts which are operative to control the movement of thepiston or pistons is confined within the housing structure and thecylinder or connected cylinders, therefore by my present invention theonly moving exposed parts of the device are the main operating leverwith the roller or pulley mount through which the cable is guided, theshifting of the cable thus oscillating the arm on its pivot.

It is sometimes desirable to have a differential pressure acting on thecable in guiding this for laying on a drum or winch. Such differentialpressure is desirable in certain cases as the cable may lay with lessresistance when being shifted in one direction than when being shiftedin the opposite direction, therefore one of the objects and features ofthis present invention is a hydraulic control device or devices by whichwhen the lever arm is moving in one direction of its oscillation theremay be a materially greater or a lesser pressure resistance to suchmovement than when this same lever oscillates in the reverse directionof its complete cycle of movement. By this construction the flow of thefluid meets a greater resistance when traversing in one direction toallow the piston or pistons to move for instance in a first directionalmovement than the resistance encountered by the fluid when havinganother direction of flow. For this purpose I provide manually acontrolled valve or valves through which the liquid or a portion thereofflows inthe movement of the piston or pistons.

Another object and feature of my invention is to avoid a long path oftraverse of the liquid when being transferred by a pressure action fromone side of the piston to another, therefore in my invention I inreality incorporate two connected and aligned cylinders, each having itsown piston, such pistons however are connected for simultaneousoperation. The chamber between the pistons provides space for neutralpressure liquid, that is, the liquid in such neutral space has apressure intermediate the pressure at the two ends of the alignedcylinders.

In the transfer of the fluid it is frequently desirable to change thehydraulic resistance to the movement of the line spooler and hence thelateral pressure required by the cable as this changes materially in thenecessary pressures as to Whether or no the cable is under a small or alarge tension, that is, the weight being moved is light or heavy,therefore another feature of my invention is a by-pass control for theliquid operative as to each piston so that in a quick action changes maybe made in the effective pressures operative in connection with thetravel of the line spooler. In accordance with my invention this isfurther arranged for a remote control by means of a flexible cablewithin reach of an operator and a ratchet type actuated valve.

Another feature of the simplification of my invention relates to aconstruction for following the cable as the turns on the drum or Winchincrease or decrease in diameter. For this purpose the whole mounting ofthese cylinders with the lever arm rotate on a hinge or pivot and thusthe arm may be tilted in a. sense in a direction to or from the drum orwinch. With this construction the carriage having the pulley guide forthe cable is also mounted on a swivel at the upper end of the lever arm,this swivel having a plate on which is mounted preferably three rollersto engage the cable. Another detail feature for compact constructionrelates to a rack connection of the pistons and a pinion operated by thelever arm to reciprocate the rack and hence the pistons. A furthersimplification includes providing check valves in the pistons, thesebeing operative in conjunction with the piston moving with thenonresistant portion of the liquid for transfer of liquid through thepiston due to the opening of the check valve. Further detailconstruction includes the housing for the double or connecting cylinderhaving passages for the pressure flow of a portion of the liquid betweenthe outside of a piston and the internal central space and alsoproviding a space and location for a longitudinal shaft which opens orcloses the pressure relief valves, such shaft being actuated by a gearconstruction manipulated by a ratchet device.

My invention is illustrated in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation taken in the direction of the arrow I ofFig. 2 with the lever and cable in the central position.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the irregular line3-3 of Figs. 2 or 5.

Fig. 4 is a similar longitudinal section taken on the irregular line 4-4of Figs. 2 or 5 in the direction of the arrows omitting the pistons andthe portions connected thereto.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 66' of Figs. 1 or 3 in thedirection of the arrows.

In my invention I employ a main housing block II which is illustrated assubstantially rectangular in transverse section. A pair of legs 12extend downwardly from the bottom of the block and have hinged pintlesl3 extending outwardly and parallel to the axis of the block and of thecylinders hereunder detailed. Hinged leaves M are fitted on the pintlesand may be attached to a base or supporting structure by bolts or thelike as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. This allows the whole assembly tooscillate on the pintles as indicated by the full and the dotted line ofFig. 2.

The block has a main cylinder or as may be considered two doublecylinders 29 extending from end to end. There is also a fluid passage 2iextending from end to end of the block and a parallel passage 22, noteFig. 4, also from end to end of the block for the pressure relief valvesand the operating rods therefor. The ends of the block are closed byclosure heads 23 bolted in place. There is a neutral central transversespace 274 for a neutral pressure liquid in the block extending from theback Wall 25 towards the front. This is cylindrical in the back portionand communicates with the cylinder 29. by intersecting the same, noteFig. 6. A threaded neck 21 is at the forward end of the opening or space24' and in front of this is a suitable large recess 28, this beingclosed by a cover cap 29. on the front of the block at the centralportion. The liquid occupying the space 24 and the hollow portionsadjacent thereto is at a pressure intermediate the pressure at theopposite ends of the connected pistons and hence is designated as aneutral pressure liquid. The space filled by such liquid is designated aneutral space. The back of the block has a journal recess beingpreferable to provide an enlarged boss in the back wall as shown toaccommodate this journal, the purpose being defined hereunder.

The piston assembly designated by the numeral includes two cylinderpistons 36' cylindrical as to their periphery and connected by a bar 31sliding in the bottom of the main cylinder 29; Each piston is providedwith a piston head 38 illustrated as integral with the bar 31 and havinga screw threaded piston ring 40 attached-therewith with cup leather orthe like 4| therebetween. Each piston has one or more ports or ducts 42therethrough communicating with the piston check valve 45, such valvebeing provided with a rim 46 engaged by a valve plug 41, such plughaving a stem 48 extending through the piston head 38 with a coilcompression spring 49'urging the valve plug against its seat, thesebeing similar for both of the piston constructions. Two substantialcompensating springs bear against the end heads 23 and the pistons.These are for the purpose of substantially balancing the weight of theoperating lever and the cable engaging carriage hereunder described indetail.

The reciprocating drive for the pistons designated by the assemblynumeral 69 includes the shaft 6| to which is attached the lever arm.This shaft extends through a perforation in the cover plate 29, noteFig. 6, is journalled in a combined bushing 62 and a shaft packing, thebushing being threaded forming a closure of the central space 24 by thescrew threaded connection 2?. Suitable packing 63 makes a liquid tightjoint at the shaft. The stub end 64 of the shaft is journalled in therecess journal 39 of the back wall 25 of the housing or block andintermediate the bearings there is a pinion 65 which meshes with a rack66 bolted to the top of the bar 31. This engagement of the rack andpinion incidentally restricts the pistons from any tendency to rotationon their axis.

The individual hydraulic pressure control assembly 19 for the flow ofthe liquid from the one side of the pistons to the neutral central space24 employs a valve port 1|, note Fig. 3, at each end of the fluidpassage 2|, these being illustrated as having a tapered valve seatengaged by the adjustable cone type plug 12. Such plug is provided witha stem 13, a spring 14' reacting against the plug and a screw threadedadjustment cap 15, this being threaded into a threaded boss 16 on theupper side of the housing block. For convenience the adjusting cap ishollow, hence by adjusting the cap longitudinally the pressure on thespring 14 may be varied and thus the pressure retaining the valve plug12 seated may also be varied. Such action is described hereunder.

The pressure relief valve equipment designated by the assembly numeral36, note particularly Fig. 4, includes two rotary valves each indicatedat 8|. Each valve has a hollow or cup end 82 with diametrically oppositeports 83 leading to this cup. A shaft 84 is secured to the rotary valvesas illustrated, to the base of the cup by means of a pin and the shaftextends longitudinally and centrally through the space 22 in the housingblock. The main cylinder 20 has two ducts 95, note Figs. 4- and 5, whichlead to the shaft passage 22 and align with the ports 83 of the rotaryvalves.

The operating mechanism and assembly for the rotary valve assembly 80includes a driven bevel gear 9| on the shaft 84 meshing with acomplementary driving bevel gear 92, this being mounted on a drive shaft93, note particularly Figs. 4 and 6. This drive shaft is journalled in ajournal cup 94, such cup having a bushing threaded therein with packing96 confined below the bushing and the cup is threaded into the internalrim 96 of the housing tube 91. Secured to the vertical shaft 93 there isa lower ratchet disk 98, this being shown as having a threadedconnection to the shaft, note Fig. 4, the periphery of the disk havingupturned ratchet teeth. A complementary loose or driving ratchet 99 isloosely mounted on the extension stem I06 of the shaft 93; this beingurged downwardly by the spring llll which spring is also connected tothe free disk 99'and to the wall or a stationary structure urging thedisk 99 to its original position after a partial rotational movement.Such disk is rotated by being provided with an extension arm I92attached to the top of the disk 99 and passing through a lateral slotI93 in the housing tube 91. A flexiblecable I04 is connected to an eyeor the like on the outer end of the arm I02. This cable leads to a placeconvenient to the operator of the winch or drum or some one in charge ofthe cable spooling operation. In order-to determine the location of therotary valves, the stem extension I is provided at its top with apointer I which operates over the closure cap I06 and thus indicates theposition of the rotary valve assembly and the relation of the valveports 83 and 85. The device is so arranged that on a single arouate pulland turn of the arm Hi2 rotating the free ratchet disk 99, the equipmentis rotated and due to the bevel drive the cylindrical valves 8| arerotated one-quarter of a turn, this shifting them from a full open to aclosed position and from a closed to an open position. The pointer I05clearly indicates whether these valves are in their open or their closedposition.

The cable actuated lever arm Ht, note Figs. 1, 2 and 6, has its lowerend keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 6| and its upper end isprovided with an eye II. This forms a mounting for a universal jointassembly H5 which includes a stub shaft I I6 journalled in the eye I II. A transverse journal III is mounted on the end of the stub shaft andin this is a second short shaft I I8 having the carriage plate I29thereon. Such carriage plate supports the rollers, the plate is shown astriangular having two stationary rollers I2I attached thereto by axlebolts and a single adjustable roller I22 having a slot and an adjustableaxle bolt mounting, hence the rollers are readily adjustable to thediameter of the cable and to the pressure contact desired with thecable.

From the above construction it will be seen that as the cable builds upin succeeding layers on a winch or drum or is wound off of the winch ordrum decreasing the effective diameter, the whole housing block I I withthe equipment contained therein and the main lever arm oscillate in afront to rear direction on the hinge pintles I3, the movement beingindicated by the dash and the dotted lines of Fig. 2 through the pintlesI3. As each layer of cable is wound on the drum or unwound therefrom,the lever arm III] is caused to oscillate in a lateral direction asindicated by the full and dotted lines of Fig. 1. In view of the factthat the lever arm is keyed to the shaft 6| which has a bearing in thejournal recess 3!] and in the journal bushing 62, manifestly the pinionB5 is rotated first in one direction and then in another direction,thence as the pinion meshes with the rack 66 such rack and hence the twopistons are reciprocated in the common and divided cylinder 2G. As abovementioned, the compression springs 55 are mainly for the purpose ofcounter-balancing the lever H0 and the parts such as the carriage I29associated therewith.

In the normal action of the equipment and presuming there is aconsiderable weight on the cable or the cable is otherwise subjected toa considerable tension, the valve assembly 86 has its ports closed, thatis, the ports 83 in the rotary valve element 8! are out of registry withthe ducts 85 communicating with the cylinder 2!! at each end, hence noliquid can travel in the bypass passage 22 from one side of the pistonsto the other.

Presuming therefore the lever III) is undergoing a movement in onedirection laterally, this causes one of the pistons 36 to approach oneof the closure heads 23 and the other piston to recede from the oppositeclosure head. The piston which is advancing therefore compresses theconfined liquid between such piston causing a seating of the plug valve41 and preventing any passage of the liquid from the pressure side ofthe piston through the port or duct 52 to the central recess. The liquiddisplaced therefore by the compression piston is forced through thevalve port II to relieve the liquid under pressure. This action raisesthe cone valve plug I2 against the action of the compression spring Mwhich is coiled around the stem I3 of the plug. The opposite pistonbeing moved towards the central and neutralspace allows opening of itsvalve plug 41 by the slight pressure developed on the neutral liquid,such liquid flowin from the central space through the port 52 and pastthe valve plug t! into the increased space in the cylinder caused by thereceding piston. The entire flow of liquid to fill the space of thepiston receding from one of the closure heads 23 thus flows through thecheck valve system of the piston. The cone valve or plug I2 ismaintained the confined firmly seated so that no liquid passes into theend of the cylinder. This applies to both directions of movement. Inother words, the valve plugs 52 only yield upwardly due to pressure ofliquid at the end of the main cylinder 25.

Where it is desired to have equal pressure or resistance to the leverIII in both directions of oscillation, the adjustment caps l5 are usedto I regulate the pressure or compression on the springs I l, thusgiving an equal seating pressure of the plugs I2 on the respectiveseats, however if it is desired to have a greater resistance to themovement of the lever when traversing in one direction as for instancefrom left to right, one

of the springs I4 is adjusted to permit opening of its valve plug 12 atgreater or lesser pressure than the other valve. By this procedure adifierential resistance to the movement of the piston assembly isdeveloped or its movement in one direction over its return movement in areverse direction. Such action of a differential resistance is highlydesirable in some cases of spooling a cable on a drum or winch and alsoin certain cases in reference to the unwinding.

The purpose of the rotary valve 38 which as above mentioned, is normallyclosed when the cable is under considerable weight or tension is to givea release and a by-pass, therefore, presuming a cable is somewhatsuddenly released from tension or weight due for instance to a balerbeing brought near to the surface, then by manipulating the pull cableltd, the valve assembly 8% may be rotated to an open valve position.Such action therefore causes the passage 22 to operate as a by-pass andsubstantially none of the fluid is required to open the plu valve '12but flows from the end of the cylinder where the liquid is beingcompressed by an advancing piston to the central neutral space and fromthe central neutral space to the other end of the cylinder where thevolume is increased by the receding piston. As above mentioned a singlepull on the cable IE5 is sufiicient to rotate the cylinder valves BIone-quarter of a turn as shown in the present design, that is, from anopen to a closed position or from a closed to an open position. Ofcourse it is apparent by this design of the ratchet assemblies on thedisks 98 and 99 and by having a greater number of ports 83, that thisaction can be effected with a lesser angular turn.

The universal joint assembly H5 for the carriage plate I20 is sufficientto allow the carriage to follow the cable in the oscillating lateralmovement as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 and also the frontto rear movement due to the change of diameter of the drum or winch whenthe assembly oscillates on the pintles I I3.

Various changes may be made in the details of the construction without.departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hydraulic line spooler, the combination of a cylinder, a doublepiston reciprocating therein, the cylinder having a neutral space forneutral pressure liquid between the pistons, means operated by thespooling action on a cable to reciprocate the pistons in the cylinder,means to develop a pressure resistance of the liquid in the cylinder toa reciprocating movement of the piston, a hydraulic pressure releaseassembly including a by-pass passage with control valves thereincommunicating between the cylinder and the neutral space and adjacentthe ends of the cylinder beyond the position of movement of the pistonsand means to open or close the said control valves, such valves whenopen forming a passage through the by-pass for a substantially free flowof the liquid and when closed forcing the liquid transfer through thepressure resistance means.

2. In a hydraulic line spooler provided with a cylinder and a pistonassembly reciprocated therein during the spooling of a cable, thecombination of the cylinder having a neutral space for neutral pressureliquid, the piston assembly having two pistons, means connecting thepistons for simultaneous movement in the same direction, there being apassage with a port from each end section of the cylinder to the neutralspace, a spring actuated valve seated at each port, a manual means toadjust the spring pressure, a check valve means for flow of liquidbetween the neutral space and a cylinder end subject to a suction strokeonly whereby equal or differential pressures may be developed resistantto the movement of the piston in its reciprocation.

3. In a hydraulic line spooler, the combination of a cylinder, twoconnected pistons, means actuated by the shifting movement of a cable inspooling on or off a drum to reciprocate the pistons in the cylinder,each piston having a pressure actuated check valve operative to close inthe piston exerting a compression stroke and to open in the other pistonoperating on a suction stroke, the cylinder having a neutral space forneutral pressure liquid, a passage having two regulating valves for flowof liquid from the end of the cylinder having the pressure stroke totheneutral space whereby an adjustment of the said valves to release atdilferent pressures develops a diiierential hydraulic pressure on themovement of the pistons in one direction relative to their movement inthe opposite direction.

4. In a hydraulic line spooler in which a piston assembly is movedreciprocally against hydraulic pressure through the action of spooling acable on a drum or the like, the combination of means constructed andadapted to exert a diiferential hydraulic pressure opposing the movementof the piston assembly in one direction relative to that opposing itsmovement in the opposite direction.

5. In a hydraulic line spooler in which a piston assembly is movedreciprocally against hydraulic pressure through the action of spooling acable on a drum or the like, the combination of means constructed andadapted to exert a differential hydraulic pressure opposing the movementof the piston assembly in one direction relative to that opposing itsmovement in the opposi-tedirection, the differential pressure meansincluding a passage for the flow of the hydraulic fluid from one side ofthe piston assembly to the other and a manually adjustable valvecontrolling the flow through such passage.

6. In a hydraulic line spooler in which a piston assembly is movedreciprocally against hydraulic pressure through the action of spooling acable on a drum or the like, the combination of means constructed andadapted to exert a diiferential hydraulic pressure opposing movement ofthe piston assembly in one direction relative to that opposing itsmovement in the opposite direction, a by-pass for the liquid from oneside of the piston assembly to the other and a controlled valve to openand close the by-pass and thereby maintain the desired pressure opposingreciprocation of the piston when the by-pass is closed and relieve thepressure Whenthe by-pass is opened.

7. In a hydraulic line spooler in which a cylinder is provided with apiston assembly reciprocated against hydraulic pressure in the cylinderthrough the action of spooling a cable on a drum or the like, thecombination of means to transfer liquid from the pressure to the suctionside of the piston assembly including adjustable valves whereby adifierential hydraulic pressure may be developed opposing the movementof the piston assembly in one direction relative to that opposing itsmovement in the opposite direction, a hydraulic pressure releaseincluding a by-pass for the flow of liquid from one side of the pistonassembly to the other with a controlled valve in said by-pass shiftableto open or closed position whereby in the closed position of saidcontrolled valve th reciprocation of thepiston is regulated by thedifferential control valve and when in the open position a free passageof liquid develops through the by-pass.

8. In a hydraulic line spooler in' which a cylinder is provided with apiston assembly reciprocated in the action of spooling a cable on a drumor the like, the combination of the piston being double headed with aspring controlled check valve in each piston head for transference ofliquid from a pressure to a non-pressure side, the cylinder having aneutral space for neutral pressure liquid between the piston heads, tworegulating valve means each communicating from an end of the cylinderbeyond the extreme movement of the piston to the neutral space, the tworegulating valves being independently adjustable, each regulating valvebeing operative to open in only one direction of liquid flow to therebydevelop a differential pressure to the movement of the piston assembliesin one direction relative'to the reverse movement.

9. In a hydraulic line spooler in which 2. cylinder is provided with apiston assembly reciprocated in the action of spooling a cable on a drumor the like, the combination of the piston being double headed with aspring controlled check valve in each piston head for transference ofliquid from a' pressure to a non-pressure side, the cylinder having aneutral space for neutral pressure liquid between the piston heads, tworegulating valve means each communicating from an end of the cylinderbeyond the extreme movement of the piston to the neutral space, the tworegulating valves being independently adjustable, each regulating valvebeing operative to open-in only one direction of liquid flow to therebydevelop a differential pressure to the movement of the piston assembliesin one direction relative to the reverse movement, a by-pass passagebetween the cylinder ends and the said neutral space, with a controlvalve communicating with the cylinder ends and a remote operative meansto actuate the said control valves to an open or closed position wherebyin the open position a substantially free passage for liquid is affordedthrough the by-pass to and from each end of the reciprocating pistonassembly.

10. In a hydraulic line spooler in which a piston assembly has means forreciprocation in a cylinder against a pressure resistance to the flow ofliquid through a control valve by the medium of a cable winding on andoff a drum, the combination of a by-pass means including two rotatablevalves distinct from the control valve each connecting to the end of thecylinder beyond the travel of the piston assembly, a shaft connectingthe valves and a remote control means to rotate the shaft and therebyopen or close the valves, the said valves when open developing asubstantially pressure free by-pass for transfer of liquid from theopposite ends of the cylinder in the reciprocating motion of the piston.

11. In a hydraulic line spooler in which a piston assembly is movedreciprocally against hydraulic pressure through the action of spooling acable on a drum or the like, the combination of means constructed andadapted to exert a differential hydraulic pressure opposing the movementof the piston assembly in one direction relative to that opposing itsmovement in the opposite direction, the difierential pressure means andthe piston assembly including two connected pistons spaced apart andoperative in a cylinder, there being a neutral space for neutralpressure liquid in the cylinder located between the two pistons, aliquid passage connected with the neutral space, two valves operativelyconnected from the liquid passage and to the cylinder beyond the travelof the pistons and means to manually adjust the valves to regulate thedifferential hydraulic pressure during reciprocation of the pistons.

12. In a line spooler a housing structure having a cylinder therein withports and passages in the housing communicating with the said ports, ahinged mounting for the housing having a hinge pintle parallel to theaxis of the cylinder, a lever arm pivoted to the housing on a pivot atright angles to the hinge pintle, pistons operating in the cylinderswith valve means for transference of fluid, a drive connection betweenthe pivot of the lever and the pistons, the lever arm having a guidemeans on the end for a cable winding on a drum whereby the lever arm isoscillated on its pivot in the traversal of the cable from one end toanother of a drum and the housing and lever arm turns on the pintle ofthe hinge as the cable builds up in diameter or decreases in diameter onthe drum.

SAMUEL T. PEPPARD.

